Holiday woe for the less well off

Children in low income families are often left with little to do
for the six-week summer holiday but watch TV and play in the
street, according to a Barnardo’s report.

Based on research in south west England, the report suggests the
summer holidays are a particularly stressful time for families in
poverty as they lose free school meals and have to save money for
the extra expenses – such as school uniform – for the new school
year in September.

Many children had never had a holiday, and leisure opportunities
were scarce.

The report calls for a minimum income standard, entitlement to
food benefits during the summer holidays for families on income
support and a statutory duty to be placed on local education
authorities to ensure that families dependent on income support
receive school uniform grants to cover the full cost of essential
items.

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